Fire extinguisher



May 24, 1932. w. R. ROLLO 1,859,843

FIRE EXTINGUISHE'R Original Filed Aug. 10, 1925 4 I Hill-HUN.-

\ mwa Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER R. ROLLO, or U'rIcA; NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY ivrnsnn nssrenivinn'rs, r AMERICAN LA FRANCE Ann roAMI'rn CORPORATION, A CORPORATION 01? NEW YORK FIRE EXTINGUISHEB Application filed August 10, 1925, Serial No. 49,228. Renewed September 20, 1930.

The invention is an improvement in the structure and mode of operation of fire extinguishers, particularly foamtype fire extinguishers of the kind in which the two 5 foam-making solutions are brought in contact by inversion or tipping.- The object is to simplify and reduce the cost of construction and to produce better mixing of the solution on inversion and hence-a better quality of fire extinguishing foam.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a fire extinguisher partly in axial section and partly in elevation, in which the invention is incorporated;

Figure 2 is a cross section thereof on line 11-11 of Figure l, and

Figure 3 is a perspective detail of the top of the inner container. The outer solution container, 1, may be constructed of the usual cylindrical form with a neck opening and cover 2, and in the present case is provided with means for mounting it on wheels, the extinguisher illustrated being of the standard forty gal- 1011 size; the invention however applies also to small size extinguishers, The outer container is formed of sheet-metal rolled up'and riveted and provided top and bottom with the usual dome shaped end members.

30 inner container 3 is seated centrally on the bottom end member of the outer container and is supported at its upper end in theneck opening, being removable through such opening when the cover is unscrewed. The outer 85 container holds the basic foam-making solution and the inner container the acid solution as usual, and on inversion the outer or basic solution pours through the annular orifice between the partition plate dand the cylindri- 40 cal wall of the inner container into the space above the partition plate, which space is herein termed the mixing space. At the same time, the acid solution pours through the portholes 5 in the upper end of the inner container into the same space, and the mixed and mixing solutions then pass out, under the chemical pressure generated, through the strainer elbow 6 to the usual hose, not shown. The partition plate 4 is conveniently mounted in the outercontainer at the edgeof the The upper end dome thereof, or it may be incorporated in the joint between such member and the body of the container or otherwise, as preferred, and when the inner container is ally located in the outer container, this pai tition plate can take the form of an annular disk, as shown, the inner diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the in ner container so as to form the annular outlet above referred to. Partitions have heretot'ore'been used in this position in the outer container, but they have customarily been formed to make a tairly'snug fit against the inner container and not with the purpose that the crevice should conduct any substantial part of the basic solution, for which a special outlet has been provided removed from the inner container, and where not so formed they have never been associated with the porthole structure described herein. This form of partition, which'produces an annular outlet around the inner container, is preferable because it can be made more cheaply and because ,it lets the basic solution out on more than one side of the inner container, whereas, in partitions of the usual sort, the solution was let out on one side only and through a single outlet. This annular outlet passage is of particular advantage when the solution outlet from the inner container is in the form of portholes such as 5, the advantage being due possibly to the velocity with which the acid solution is projectedinto and intersects the annular stream of basic solution. The characteristic of these portholes is that they are relatively restricted, that is to say, much smaller than the spaces or openings between the bars of the well-known and standard cage structure by which the inner container is commonly supported in the neck opening; and they are distinguished from such prior structures by the fact that they constitute but a small percentage of the total peripheral surface of the cage part of the inner container, whereas in the prior structures the outflow spaces constitute much more than half of the peripheral surface of the cage. They are further distinguished from such prior structures by the fact that their aggregate area is less than the cross area of the stopple-closed opening of the inner container. In the present case, the holes are separated from each other by walls wider than the holes themselves whereas in the prior structure the outflou openings are separated by narrow bars no wider than necessary for mechanical strength. The gravity head of the acid is thus maintained and the greatest restriction of acid flow to the place of mixing occurs at the portholes. They are spaced equiangularly around the top part of the inner container and for a standard forty gallon extinguisher they are generally made as a series of eight round holes each about one-half or live eighths inch in diameter. hey thus form on inversion of the extinguisher a series of centers of mixing of the solutions distributed all around the inner container, the gravity-head on the acid producing a sort of jetting action of the'acid into the basic solution. The particular advantage of the porthole form of acid solution outlet, and which is also inde pendent of the form of the basic solution outlet, is that one or more of the holes are found to have the function of admittinggas or foam from the mixing space into the inner container to occupy the space therein which is left vacant by the solution outflowing through the other holes, thereby producing a substantially constant rate of flow of the inner solution into the mixing space. This occurs in that type of extinguisher mounted on wheels, as shown, and which are operated by tilting to an inclined position, short of a complete inversion. This inward venting of foam or into the inner container is important for the production of foam of non-fluctuating composition and is equivalent to the effect of the pressure equalizing tubes which have heretofore been employed for the sa; 1e pur pose. This arrangement of portholes has the advantage of functioning in this Way regardless of the direction of tipping. No such pressure equalizer is therefore needed in an inner container constructed according to this invention. Such a pressure equalizer can be used, and is preferably used, in the outer container, as shown at 7. It consists merely of a tube secured at one end in a hole in the partition plate 4: and open at its other end, which is at the top of the extinguisher, when inverted. This end is secured in position by attachment to one of the rivets of the longitudinal seam of the outer container.

The restricted portholes .5 have the further advantage that the stopple and its stopple seat are not always necessary. In extinguishers of the kind which are carried about in an upright position the principal function served by the stopple is to prevent premature mixing of the solutions by splashing, but the small portholes, being high up and small, are not conducive to transfer of solutions by splashing and can be depended upon in place of the usual stopple, thereby saving the ex pense of the latter. In the case of wheeled engines which are moved about in an inclined or horizontal position, the stopple is of course necessary and can be arranged as shown in the drawing, or as usual, so that it can be opened and closed from outside the extinguisher. In the present case the stopple seat 8 consists of an annular member secured to the inner surface of the inner container 'ust below the portholes 5 and a small drain hole 9 (Fig. 3) is formed in the wall of the container in a position to drain out any liquid that may collect around the seat. The inner container is preferably made of one piece of sheet metal and of the same diameter from end to end in accordance with the disclosure in Patterson Patent No. 1,484,529, but may of course be otherwise constructed. It is also provided with a reinforcing flange ring 10 at its top, the latter having radial lugs for bearing on the neck opening of the outer contain- The following is claimed:

1. An invertible foam-type extinguisher comprising outer and inner containers respectively containing foam-making solutions, the inner container having an annular member secured therein and constituting a stopple seat and having its upper part spaced inward from the wall of the inner container to form therewith an annular pocket, the wall of the inner container above the base of the annular member having one or more restricted portholes or perforations, and at the base of said pocket a hole to drain solution therefrom to the exterior of the inner container.

2. A foam type engine comprising an outer container mounted to tip on a predetermined axis to an inclined discharge position less than vertical, and having a foam OUtlGlll in its top part, and an inner container of suitable size to hold a foam-making solution and having associated therewith a stopple-closed opening and a hollow structure open to the solution space of said inner container and comprising a wall interposed in the exit path of solution from the inner container, said wall being provided with portholes one or more of which are on opposite sides of the vertical plane of said tipping axis in the upright position of the engine, the aggregate area of said portholes being materially less than the cross sectional area of said stoppleclosed opening, and a cross partition in said outer container having a solution passage for controlling the flow of the outer solution toward the foam outlet when the engine is tipped to said inclined discharge position, all said parts being mutually organized to produce first contact of the two solutions solely by their gravitational flow on tipping of the extinguisher.

3. A foam-type extinguisher comprising an outer container and an inner container of suitablesize for holding a solution capable of combining with the solution of the outer container to convert all of both solutions into foam and having a cage wall enclosing the space above the liquid in the inner container and between the same and the top of the outer container, said wall having a zone of peripherally spaced relatively restricted portholes or perforations, the solution space of said inner container being open, on tipping of the extinguisher, to the space within said wall, the aggregate area of saidportholes being less than the cross sectional area of the opening from the container to the space within the cage wall, and a cross partition in said outer container having a solution passage for controlling the flow of the outer solution toward the foam outlet when the engine is tipped to discharge position, all said parts being mutually organized to produce first contact of the two solutions solely ,by their gravitational flow on tipping the extinguisher.

4. A foam-type extinguisher comprising an outer container and a removable inner container of suitable size for holding a solution capable of combining with the solution of the outer container to convert all of both solutions into foam and having a cage wall enclosing the space above the liquid in the inner container and between the same and the top of the outer container, said Wall having a zone of peripherally spaced relatively restricted portholes or perforations, the solution space of said inner container being open, on tipping of the extinguisher, to the'space within said wall, the aggregate area of said portholes being less than the cross sectional area of the opening from the container to the space within the cage wall, and a cross partition in said outer container having an annular solution passage between it and the inner container for controlling the flow of the outer solution toward the foam outlet when the engine is tipped to discharge position, all said parts being mutually organized to produce first contact of the two solutions solely by their gravitational flow on tipping the extinguisher.

5. A foam-type extinguisher comprising an outer container and a removable inner container of suitable size for holding a solution capable of combining with the solution of the outer container to convert all of both solutions into foam and having a cage wallenclosing the space above the liquid in the inner container and between the same and the top of the outer container, said wall having a zone of peripherally spaced relatively restricted portholes or perforations, the solution space of said inner container being open, on tipping of the extinguisher, to the space within said wall, the aggregate area of said portholes being less than the cross sectional area of the opening from the container to the space within the cage wall, and a cross partition in said outer container having an annular solution passage between it and the inner container for controlling the flow of the outer solution toward the foam outlet when the engine is tipped to discharge position and a pressure equalizer passage connecting opposite sides of said cross partition, all said parts being mutually organized to produce first contact of the two solutions solely by their gravitational flow on tipping the extinguisher.

6. A wheeled fire extinguisher of the foam type having a'body provided in its upper end with a charging opening and having a predetermined transverse supporting wheel axis, adapting it to be tipped thereon to an inclined position less than vertical and be ing with its appurtenances of greater length above the said axis than the radius of the wheels, said body being provided with solution space and a mixingchamber and having adjacent its said end a cross partition separating said space and chamber and having an opening in line with the charging opening, and an inner container. for solution mutually reactive with the other solution to produce foam, the inner container being adapted to be passed through the charging opening and through the opening in the cross partition, said opening being larger than the cross sectional area of the inner container to permit its insertion and removal and to provide an annular solution passage betweenthe hole edge and the inserted container, said inner container having associated therewith a hollow structure open to the solution space of said inner container and comprising a Wall interposed in the exit path of solution from the inner container, said wall having an outlet through which the inner solution flows to the mixing chamber, said outlet serving to control the rate of flow of such solution to said chamber and produce an even metered flow and consisting of one or more portholes on the upper side thereof when tipped and one or more portholes on the lower side thereof when tipped, all said parts being mutually organized to produce first contact of the two solutions solely by their gravitational flow on tipping the extinguisher.

7. A fire extinguisher of the foam type having a body provided in its upper end with a charging opening and having a predetermined transverse supporting axis adapting it to be tipped thereon to an inclined position less than vertical, said body being provided with solution space and a mixing chamber and having adjacent its said end a cross partition separating said space and chamber and having an opening in line with the charging opening, and an inner container for solution mutually reactive with the other solution to produce foam, the inner container being adapted to be passed through the charging opening and through the opening in the cross, partition saida openingibeing larger thanthe cross sectionalareaof the innercon-- tainer. to permit its insertion and removal andetovprovide an annular solution passage between the holeedge and, the inserted container, said inner container having associated therewith an opening adapted. to be closed by a stopple and a hollow structure open to thesolution space of said'inner container and comprising a wall interposedin the exit path of solution from the inner container, said WalLhaVing a zone of symmetrically located portholes which actregardless of the direction of tipping to equalize pressure between the mixing chamber and the solution space of the inner container and control the rate of flow of solutionfrom the inner container to the mixing chamber to insure an even metered fiow, all said parts being mutually organized to produce first contact of the two solutions solely by their gravitational flow on tipping the extinguisher.

V In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. I

, WALTER R. ROLLO. 

